The third round of RBS 6 Nations kicks off on a Friday night for only the sixth time as France visit Cardiff.

Les Bleus have begun well in terms of results with two narrow wins, but will need to improve their recent form in the Welsh capital if they are to sustain their challenge. Wales are also unbeaten so far and well placed with two home games to play in the last three rounds.

Saturday opens up with two of the three winless sides so far pitted against each other in Rome. Four of the last five test clashes between Italy and Scotland have been decided by four points or less and the analysis suggests another close encounter at the Stadio Olimpico.

Round 3 wraps up at Twickenham where one of the questions will be: can England hold on to top spot in the 2016 RBS 6 Nations table? This is the third time in the past four years that they have topped the pile following round 2, but they have not carried off the silverware since 2011. Defending champions Ireland have started slowly and will be anxious to break their duck in the win column this campaign, but they have not won at England’s citadel since 2010.

Wales are unbeaten in their last six RBS 6 Nations encounters since their home defeat to England in round 1 last year.

Wales have not been defeated in a round 3 fixture since France visited Cardiff on a Friday night in 2010.

The Welshmen have won their last four matches at Principality Stadium since Ireland beat them there in a world cup warm up match in August.

France have begun their 2016 RBS 6 Nations campaign with a pair of victories but have not won their opening three games in a season since they last took a grand slam in 2010.

France’s only defeat in their last four RBS 6 Nations encounters was to England at Twickenham in round 5 last year.

Wales have won their last four clashes with France since the RWC2011 semi-final in Auckland, which France won by the narrowest of margins, 9-8.

The only try that France have scored against Wales in the last 421 minutes of rugby came when Brice

Dulin scored late in last year’s encounter in Paris.

?France have lost on their last four visits to Principality Stadium, two of those in RWC2015, to Ireland and New Zealand.

ON THE PITCH

George North had made more metres (177) and beaten more defenders (14) than any other player in this season’s RBS 6 Nations.

Taulupe Faletau has made the most tackles (33) without missing one.

The French team have had the most carries (224) and made the most metres (795)

France have achieved twice as many offloads as any other country in 2016.